Turkish, Syrian FMs hold meeting on sidelines of Paris summit

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan engaged in direct talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani in Paris on Tuesday, marking a notable diplomatic encounter between the two neighboring states. The meeting occurred on the sidelines of a major international summit concerning Ukraine, though the ministers' discussion likely centered on bilateral and regional issues specific to Türkiye-Syria relations.

The setting and context

The interaction took place during the "Coalition of the Willing" leaders' summit, which was primarily focused on coordinating support for Ukraine. The Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed the meeting but did not provide any details regarding the substance of the conversation. Such side meetings at multilateral forums are a common diplomatic practice for discussing matters separate from the main agenda.

A complex and strained bilateral relationship

Türkiye and Syria have maintained strained relations since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, with Ankara supporting certain opposition groups and conducting cross-border military operations in northern Syria. High-level contact, however, has occasionally occurred as part of efforts to manage tensions, address security concerns, and discuss the future of Syria, including the return of refugees and the preservation of territorial integrity.

Diplomatic engagement amid ongoing challenges

For Türkiye, which shares a long border with Syria and hosts millions of Syrian refugees, maintaining communication channels with Damascus is a pragmatic component of its foreign policy, aimed at safeguarding its national security and influencing political outcomes in its neighbor. This meeting, though brief and lacking public detail, reflects Türkiye's active and multi-faceted diplomatic approach, engaging even with counterparts from whom it is deeply divided on key issues, in pursuit of its strategic interests and regional stability.